2015 Toyota Supra

The Supra was a sports car produced by Toyota from 1979 to 2002. Its demise was due to restrictive emission standards, and it went away quietly into the night. Or did it? Rumors have been suggesting that the Supra name would be making a comeback and the fact that Toyota has just renewed the "Supra" trademark registration that expired back in 2006, leads us to the one logical conclusion: we will soon be able to drive around in a Supra again.

This evidence may all be there, but no one should expect the Supra anytime soon as Toyota is still busy fiddling around with their version of the FT-86. As if trying to outdo Subaru’s FT-86 wasn’t enough - Hey Toyota, good luck with that - Toyota is also planning on a new MR2 rumored to debut in 2013. So the Supra will be anything but chilling on the backburner until about 2015.

The last generation Supra was powered by a turbo engine with an output of 320 HP at 5600 rpm and 315 lbs-ft of torque, but don’t expect the same to happen with the next generation Supra.

Source : http://www.topspeed.com

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Posted in: Automotive,Car,Toyota

Toyota to Face First trial in unintended-acceleration case iin 2013 judge says

(Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp. will face the first test trial in February 2013 of lawsuits combined in federal court that claim a defect causes the company's vehicles to speed up uncontrollably, a judge said.

U.S. District Judge James V. Selna in Santa Ana, Calif., said in a "tentative order" posted on his court's website that the first bellwether trial would be of claims by the families of two people killed in a Nov. 5, 2010, crash in Utah.

Paul Van Alfen died when his 2008 Toyota Camry crashed into a wall. A passenger, Charlene Lloyd, died of her injuries a day after the accident.

Toyota, the world's largest automaker, recalled millions of U.S. vehicles, starting in 2009, after claims of defects and incidents involving sudden unintended acceleration. The recalls set off a wave of litigation, including hundreds of economic-loss suits and claims by individuals or their families alleging injuries and deaths.

"The conduct of a trial in the first quarter of 2013 will markedly advance these proceedings," said Selna, who is overseeing most of the federal lawsuits. "Selection of a personal injury/wrongful death case" is the most likely type to "meet that goal," he said.

Selna selected the Van Alfen case from a list of six suits submitted by lawyers for the company and plaintiffs.

Overriding goal

"My overriding goal is to ensure that we try the first bellwether case in the first quarter of 2013," Selna said at a hearing today.

Van Alfen's wife and son were injured in the 2010 crash and are suing as well. The families claim that the accident happened when the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated as Van Alfen pulled onto an exit ramp on I-80 near Wendover, Utah, and didn't stop even after he slammed on the brakes.

The plaintiffs claim that the Camry is defective and that the Toyota City, Japan-based carmaker failed to include a brake override system or fail-safe device to stop inadvertent acceleration.

Most of the federal lawsuits were combined before Selna, in a multidistrict litigation for evidence gathering and pretrial rulings.

Source: http://www.autonews.com

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Posted in: Automotive,Car,Toyota

Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid

technology

The Prius Plug-in is the most advanced member of the Prius Family yet. Combining an extended all-electric mode ^[1][2] with proven hybrid technology, it can get you up to 475 miles before your next fill-up, depending on driving conditions. ^[3] You also get the convenience of plug-in charging with rapid recharge times.

Learn more about the technologies below.

battery

• Battery typeLithium-ion
• Maximum EV cruising rangeApproximately 13 miles
• Recharging time1.5 hours @ 240V AC or 3 hours at 120V AC

The idea of battery-powered cars is cool. But in reality, the weight, size, cost and durability of the large-capacity batteries required to fully power Electric Vehicles (EV) are critical issues that aren't fully solved. Our answer? Small lithium-ion battery packs that complement the proven Prius hybrid-electric power train.

The Prius Plug-in's lithium-ion battery is lightweight and compact, weighing a total of just 330 lb. So you get useful EV power and driving range without the costs of an electric-only EV battery, while maintaining plenty of cargo space and seating for five. Also, charge time from a standard 120V household outlet is only 3 hours.

Built to last for the life of the vehicle, our lithium-ion batteries have undergone more than three years of coordinated field testing in Japan, North America and Europe, in a wide variety of climatic environments and driving conditions.

engine

• Displacement (cm³)1798
• Max output [hp (kW)/rpm]98 (73)/5200
• Max torque (Nm/rpm)142/4000

The Prius Plug-in's 4-cylinder engine is incredibly fuel-efficient. The first reason for this is its 1.8L displacement, which allows it to generate higher output and torque while operating at lower speeds. In addition to increased efficiency, you also get a much quieter ride.

Another factor is the elimination of the drive belt, along with an electric-driven water pump, which reduces supplemental engine load. This allows the engine to control the flow of coolant with increased precision based on vehicle conditions.

The engine also features a Cool-EGR system to lower recirculated exhaust temperatures, as well as a recirculation system that reuses heat to help the Prius Plug-in warm up even quicker.

motor

The electric motor in the Prius Plug-in is specially calibrated to give you greater fuel efficiency across a variety of driving conditions. And since it operates at an incredibly high rotational speed, it's able to generate more output in a smaller, lighter design—which also helps improve your overall fuel economy.

Source : http://www.toyota.com

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Posted in: Automotive,Car,Toyota

Toyota To Build A New 8-6, The FT-86

A spiritual successor to the vaunted AE86 Corollas of the mid-1980’s, the new Toyota FT-86 (shown above in concept form) will share those cars’ winning attributes of rear-wheel drive and a good-power-to-weight ratio. The FT-86 will improve upon the AE86 however, with the adoption of Subaru’s flat-four engine. The flat four will sit lower in the engine bay, lowering the car’s center of gravity and thus improving its willingness to change directions quickly.

In other words, the FT-86 will be responsive, and it will be a handler.

It couldn’t come a moment too soon for a company whose high performance successes are all in its past. The company that brought us the 2000GT, Supra, MR2, Celica, and the aforementioned AE86 Corollas, has, of late, suffered from the interesting malady of being perceived as delivering good—but rather boring—cars. Added to the recent troubles Toyota has had with the unintended acceleration flap, it will be good for the company to offer a sporting car with, well, highly intendedacceleration.

 

Details about the FT-86 are still somewhat sketchy, however we do know the car will go into production during the first quarter of 2012. It will be available with many performance-oriented options and will possibly be involved in a single-make racing series like VW does with the Jetta TDI.

According to Toyota engineers close to the project, the FT-86 is being calibrated to provide driving pleasure, but not at the expense of everyday usability. The steering is characterized as remarkably responsive and body roll in corners is said to be negligible. The engine will be Subaru’s 2.0-liter 16-valve flat four. It is speculated the powerplant will be configured to generate around 200 horsepower, though final output has yet to be settled upon. Buyers will have a choice of a six-speed manual, or a six-speed paddle shift automatic transmission to feed the rear wheels.

It is expected the FT-86 will be a seven-second car to 60 and top at 140.

Shortly after its introduction, Subaru will badge a version of the FT-86 as well. Additionally, Subie and Toyota have a deal allowing the new 8-6 to be built in Subaru’s factory in the United States. Further, this is to be the first of a number of cars the two companies will partner on.

Article Source: http://www.sportscarmonitor.com

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Posted in: Automotive,Car,Toyota

Toyota, Scion Offer College Graduates Additional $1,000 on Select New Models

In a tough economy with high unemployment rates, college students who are about to graduate will soon be saddled with student loans and trying to land their first job out of school. Toyota is trying to entice these young car shoppers to buy a new Toyota or Scion vehicle with an extra $1,000 rebate.
Toyota Financial Services is offering qualified college graduates a $1,000 rebate toward the purchase or lease of select new Toyota and Scion vehicles, when financed or leased through the dealership and TFS.
The extra $1,000, which can be used in addition to current Scion and Toyota deals, could be a big help to recent college graduates who are in the market for a new car. The extra cash can help reduce the cost of a new Toyota or Scion, especially since prices are up due to the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March, which has caused the automaker to limit production, the Chicago Tribune reports.
“Scion and Toyota vehicles are consistently some of the most popular vehicles among young adults, but more importantly, they provide dependable and safe transportation for new graduates getting to new jobs,” Mike Groff, TFS group vice president of sales, marketing and product development, said in a statement. “We understand that it’s certainly a tough time to be entering this economy, so it’s our hope that this $1,000 rebate, which can be coupled with other incentives, gives these new grads a break and gets them securely started on their next phase of life.”
The $1,000 rebate can be used to purchase or lease a new Toyota Corolla, Matrix, RAV4, Camry (excludes Camry hybrid), Tacoma and Yaris and all new Scion models. If you’ve graduated within the last two years or will graduate within the next six months, you can take advantage of the incentive.
Since the college graduate rebate is good until Jan. 3, 2012, college graduates have the option to wait to buy a new Toyota or Scion until inventories are replenished. Dealership inventories have been down because of limited production and parts availability problems in Japan. Toyota announced in mid-April it would reduce production for the month of May.
New Toyota and Scion vehicles come with complimentary maintenance for two years or 25,000 miles, which can also help recent college graduates save money on oil changes and tire rotations.
The $15,600 Toyota Corolla would cost $14,600 with the $1,000 college graduate incentive. The $14,995 Kia Forte doesn’t have a college graduate incentive, but is available this month with a $1,000 cash back rebate for all shoppers, which brings the price to $13,995, which is a savings of $605 over the Corolla.
The $22,025 Toyota RAV4 would cost $21,025 with the $1,000 college graduate incentive. The $18,895 Hyundai Tucson would cost $18,495 with Hyundai’s $400 college graduate discount. You’d save $2,530 by choosing the Tucson over the RAV4.
Toyota’s $1,000 college graduate incentive will help lower the cost of a new Toyota or Scion, but there are better deals out there on comparable vehicles at other automakers. GM gives college graduates preferred pricing, which varies widely depending on the model, while Suzuki gives $500 to college grads. Honda and Subaru offer college graduates competitive financing to help them since their credit history is usually short and they’d normally receive a high interest rate loan.
Shopping for a new car? Check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars. Then, look for a great deal on a new car by checking out this month’s best car deals. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter.

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Article Source:  http://www.thecollegedriver.com

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Posted in: Automotive,Car,Toyota